Michigan Mom Arrested Hours After Reporting Her Kids Missing

A Michigan mom was arrested Friday just hours after reporting her two young children missing.

According to the Battle Creek Enquirer, a 32-year-old woman reported her 7-year-old and 1-year-old child were missing from the 300 block of Hamblin Avenue in Battle Creek just after 2:30 am.

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She told Battle Creek police she left her home around 5 pm Thursday evening and returned at midnight to find her children were gone. Police found evidence that indicated she had actually returned home after 2 am and arrested her for child neglect.

The children were later located three miles away at a family friend's home, whom the 7-year-old had contacted via an iPad. The two children have since been safely placed with family members.

In the state of Michigan, there is no agreed-upon age allowing for all children to stay home alone. In the entire United States, only Illinois and Maryland have laws dictating a proper age to leave children home alone, though many states do offer guidelines.

Michigan details its guidelines here, and much of it has to do with gauging your child's maturity. Some examples from the Child Welfare Information Gateway in Michigan:

• Is your child physically and mentally able
  to care for him- or herself?
• Does your child feel comfortable or
  fearful about being home alone?
• Does your family have a safety plan for emergencies? Can your child follow this plan?

If your child checks off a few of those questions, it's still suggested by the state to have a trial period where the child has shorter times alone to get comfortable and to always check in on the child to ensure they are handling the responsibility well.

The Child Welfar Information Gateway also lists resources for parents to utilize in these situations including the National Network for Child Care and Prevent Child Abuse America.